Seahawks sign ex-Panthers safety and WWU snapper

The Seattle Seahawks have signed safety Quinton Teal and long snapper Matt Overton to contracts prior to this weekend’s minicamp, while releasing cornerback DeAngelo Willingham and punter Tom Malone.

Quinton Teal

Teal, who played the past three seasons with the Carolina Panthers, was at Seattle’s last minicamp for a tryout. He wasn’t among the five invitees signed immediately after that camp, but has now accepted an offer from the Seahawks, the team announced Wednesday.

Teal gives the Seahawks some needed depth at safety as even with the drafting of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, the team only has two other returning veterans in Jordan Babineaux and Jamar Adams.

Teal, 26, played mostly special teams with the Panthers the past three seasons, but did start the first three games last season. The 6-1, 187-pounder out of Coastal Carolina had 20 tackles last year and 45 in his career.

Overton, 24, is a former Western Washington University player who signed previously with the Seahawks but was then released. He’s being brought back apparently to compete with Patrick MacDonald, a free agent out of the Canadian Football League.

Malone is a former USC punter. His release leaves incumbent Jon Ryan as the only punter on the roster.

Willingham was on Seattle’s practice squad at the end of last season as a rookie out of Tennessee.